Ryan Hall, Heel Hooks, TUF 22

[Craig Murray]

Love seeing this! How many UFC fans are going "wow, what's a 'heel hook?' Shit is legit, anyone paying attention to modern BJJ competition knows it, and I love watching it sink in. Great way to leave the slow-learners behind

Speaking of TUF22 , watching Toothless Tom throw up that RG was exciting, but painful. He clearly knows the path, you could see him zombie a couple times, successfully I might add. Then he tries to clear the neck and kung fu, but he's exhausted and rushing so he's not squeezing his knees together, not pulling the guy down into his chest enough, not keeping anything tight... and the Polish kid just backed out each time. Excited to see him dig into the system, but painful because he couldn't hold onto any of it.

Anyone know where Tom trains?

Can't wait to see how far Ryan can go!

[Nathan Wallner]

I think he is in the right place at the right time. There are still gyms that think heel hooks should be illegal. There are Brown belts that don't know how to do the lockdown. 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu is at the front of nogi jiu jitsu in the world today. It's a beautiful thing, this is the birth of a martial arts culture unique to our young country. We're all witnessing history. #Powerful

[Mike Nall]

I think he is in the right place at the right time. There are still gyms that think heel hooks should be illegal. There are Brown belts that don't know how to do the lockdown. 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu is at the front of nogi jiu jitsu in the world today. It's a beautiful thing, this is the birth of a martial arts culture unique to our young country. We're all witnessing history. #Powerful

I'm really confused by this post. Can you explain more?

[Nick Paul]

I think he means we're still in the midst of figuring out what works and doesn't work in MMA. Just think about the last 3 years with the front kicks, wheel kicks, spinning elbows, rubber guard, leg locks, 50/50, etc. And 10th Planet is an organization that doesn't have a set of beliefs in stone and is constantly searching for battle tested techniques to add to the ciricculum

[Craig Murray]

I'm really confused by this post. Can you explain more?

Ryan Hall, a high level BJJ competitor who helped popularlize the 50/50 guard, is competing in The Ultimate Fighter season 22 right now (airs on wed nights). He's won his first two matches by heelhook, a technique you do not see much in MMA and that most MMA gyms consider to be a bad technique that will get you smashed.

I personally disagree with the opinion that it's bad in MMA. I think very few MMA guys have developed a strong heelhook and that's why you don't see it. I believe that's the same reason you don't see rubberguard played much in MMA.

Those opinions are going to change, it just requires enough guys to come in a prove that it works. Ryan Hall doing this in TUFF22 is a pretty big platform that is allowing him to repeatedly display how powerful the technique is.

[Liquidrob]

Guys have been heel hooking in NHB/MMA for years

Go watch the old UFCs, old Pancrase, Rings, etc...

Strange thread is strange

[Craig Murray]

Guys have been heel hooking in NHB/MMA for years

Go watch the old UFCs, old Pancrase, Rings, etc...

Strange thread is strange

Little bit different having a low level guy attempt a heelhook in Pancrase than it is to have a guy doing it in TUF or in the UFC in the modern era.. The technique is barely used at the top level of MMA and most gyms don't even teach it.

Jiu Jitsu is a lost art in MMA. I for one, would love to see that change.

[Enrique "Kiko"]

Didn't Palhares show heel hook effectivity in MMA...minus being psycho and holding a sub WELL after the tap and ref pulling him off?

[Craig Murray]

Didn't Palhares show heel hook effectivity in MMA...minus being psycho and holding a sub WELL after the tap and ref pulling him off?

Yes he did. So that's one guy.

[Liquidrob]

I don't think you know what you're talking about

The heel hook has been in NHB/MMA since the beginning, it has been in the "modern era" also, like I said, strange thread is strange

Carry on